In 1855, Ernst and Gottfried Fleckenstein opened a temporary 10 gallon brewery in St. Paul. Two years later, they moved to Faribault, where they constructed a new brewery along the bluffs at Oak and 3rd Sts. In 1872, the two brothers ended their partnership and became competitors. Ernst built his own brewery at another site in town, producing 25 barrels of beer every day. It was incorporated as the Ernst Fleckenstein Brewing Co. after 1900, at which time production had risen to 10,000 barrels per year with distribution throughout southern Minnesota.
The business continued successfully, surviving Prohibition, until it closed down in 1964.
Gottfried was not quite so successful. He razed the original brewery and built a new, larger operation in 1872. It burned down in 1892, but was immediately rebuilt. Four years later, Gottfried's son Louis joined him and the brewery was renamed G. Fleckenstein & Son. Gottfried died in 1900 and Louis was only able to continue until 1902 when the brewery was closed.
